The instant invention relates to toy vehicles and more particularly to a motorized track laying toy vehicle.
A variety of types of track laying toy vehicles have heretofore been available and have proven to be commercially successful as a result of their substantial toy value. Track laying toy vehicles, such as tanks and tractors, have proven to be effective at capturing the attention and imagination of children to provide them with substantial amusement.
The instant invention provides a novel track laying vehicle having substantially enhanced play value as a result of its unique operation. Specifically, the operation of the track laying vehicle of the instant invention is controlled by manipulation of a movable control turret on the vehicle. The turret is longitudinally movable relative to the vehicle between forward, intermediate and rearward positions to correspondingly effect forward, stopped and reverse operation of the vehicle. In addition, the turret is rotatable to the left and to the right to correspondingly steer the vehicle to the left and to the right. To effect this operation, the vehicle includes drive and control assemblies which are responsive to rotation of the turret to selectively engage and disengage the appropriate elements driving the vehicle track assemblies whereby the vehicle can be turned to the right by disengaging the components which drive the right track and turned to the left by disengaging the components which drive the left track.
The closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. to NIELSEN et al, 3,065,569; GAGNON, 3,744,181; GULLEY, JR., 3,849,931; KURITA, 4,198,0449; and KURITA, 4,231,182. In this connection, the U.S. Pat. No. to NIELSEN et al, 3,065,569 discloses a self-propelled toy tank vehicle having a movable turret. The U.S. Pat. No. to GAGNON, 3,744,181 discloses a track laying vehicle which is controllable through remote control means to individually operate the treads thereof in forward or reverse directions. The U.S. Pat. No. to KURITA, 4,231,182 also discloses a track laying vehicle having a movable turret. However, none of these references relate to or teach a track laying vehicle which is controllable for forward, reverse and turning movement by manipulation of a turret on the vehicle. They also do not disclose or teach the specific control and drive mechanisms which are embodied in the vehicle of the subject invention, and hence they are not felt to be anticipatory. The remainder of the patents cited are felt to be of nothing more than general interest. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a track laying vehicle which is controllable by manipulation of a turret on the vehicle.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a track laying vehicle having a turret which can be turned toward a particular direction to steer the vehicle toward said direction and which is movable between forward, intermediate and rearward positions on the vehicle to effect forward, stopped and reverse vehicle operation.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.